Obesity in Children and Teens

Sadly, childhood obesity has more damaging effects than just what is visible on the exterior. When children become overweight they put themselves at great risk for certain conditions that were once thought to be rare in children, these conditions include type 2 diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. Other conditions include orthopedic damage, like stress on the joints caused by excess weight and skin damage like heat rashes and monilial dermatitis. As well, children and adolescents who are obese put themselves at risk of becoming obese adults. Overweight adults are at an even greater risk to suffer from potentially life threatening conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and certain forms of cancer. Overweight adults are also at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. More than one third of children are overweight. This figure is increasing rapidly. This epidemic puts children at risk for various health problems such as type two diabetes and heart problems. Although they are several risk factors for obesity, parents play a significant role in this issue. This paper will look into how parents are influential to their children, how they contribute to this problem and how they may help fight the fight against obesity. Obesity is a very serious problem and there are solutions that parents can apply to help their children lead a healthy lifestyle. Obesity does not only affect a person physically, but mentally and psychologically as well.

Health has become a very popular topic in today’s society; how to lose weight, healthy body mass index, proper foods to eat to give your body nutrition, certain exercises to help lose weight here or gain muscle there, lower prices for a gym memberships, it seems to be a topic we are hearing about all the time now. However, there seems to lack of conversation about the health of the younger generation. Obesity among children is a growing problem in today’s society (Ogden, Carroll, Lawman, Fryar, Kruszon-Moran, Kit 2015).

Obesity in America is literally a growing problem, affecting every age group. Children are the most venerable group because they have no control over where they have dinner or how often they have fast food. Parents and guardians make decisions about food and are responsible for the health of children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last twenty years. This is concerning because Type Two diabetes is a horrible, crippling disease that is affecting children and teens dramatically whereas the disease was primarily seen in adults. Children are said to have a shorter life span than their parents for the first time ever. In the United States sixty-six percent of adults are overweight and one in

Childhood obesity is a huge problem facing America today. It’s like an epidemic, spreading across America at alarming rates. Just in the past 30 years, childhood obesity rates have more than doubled among children and quadrupled among adolescents. Today, it has been estimated that one in every six children or adolescents is obese ("Childhood Obesity Facts”). And if things don’t change soon, those numbers will just keep rising. This isn’t a problem that we can leave up to children to deal with themselves. Parents and adults need to take responsibilities for children’s health and futures. Children or adolescents who have a body mass index of over 30 are considered to be obese. Too much body fat can lead to many negative

Childhood obesity can affect a child’s physical, emotional, and social well being. Physically, childhood obesity can cause type two diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep disorders, and fatty liver disease. (CDC) Socially and emotionally, child obesity can cause low self-esteem, bullying issues, behavior problems, learning problems, depression, and anxiety. (healthychildren.org) These are all very

Children with obesity may experience trouble sleeping, shortness of breath, early puberty, flat feet, and constipation (Knowlden & Sharma, 2013). Obesity is closely related to mental health as well. Negative perceptions of body image associated with obesity place children at a higher risk of low self-esteem, depression, and poor performance at school (Knowlden & Sharma, 2013). When obesity continues into adulthood, it is associated with several health concerns, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, pulmonary diseases, diabetes mellitus, and

Today’s children are at risk to be the first generation in the modern era to have a life expectancy less than that of their parents (Lemonick, 3). This is because of obesity. In the last thirty years, the rate of obesity among adolescents in the United States has quadrupled, and the anatomical health repercussions are being felt (“A Comparison” 16). Ailments like heart disease and diabetes, that have a direct correlation with obesity, are all on the rise. The issue within society is that few people recognize that obesity is the root of these problems (Ward-Smith, 242). For this reason, Americans have allowed themselves to create a lifestyle where obesity will continue to exist. With a fast paced culture that demands results instantly, society

Obesity is a threat to the health of this nation and is the root of many life-threatening ailments, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and type 2 diabetes (“What are the Risks of Obesity and Overweight” 2012). These diseases severely decrease the the quality of life for those affected, with many of the victims suffering greatly until they are consumed by death. The treatment of these diseases is expensive and it does not cure the underlying cause nor does it ameliorate its grueling side effects. 17% of children aged between 2 and 19 are obese (“Prevalence of Childhood Obesity” 2015), creating a new generation of obese Americans. These children are being plagued by diseases that previously solely affected adults, namely diabetes and heart disease. Along with the children, the elderly and middle-aged are prone to obesity as well. 40.2% of Americans between the ages of 40 and 59 are classified as obese, along with 37% of people over 60 (Ogden et. al., 2015). The quality of life for these individuals is severely diminished, and it is

Childhood obesity has placed the health of an entire generation at risk. Obesity in America is a big problem that has been growing over the years. “An estimated 12.5 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” (Loop 2015). As the number of children being affected keeps growing, parents or guardians do not change the habits that lead their children to become obese. “Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood” (American Heart Association, 2014). Not only is obesity causing health problems more than before, but it also causing a big problem in America. More and more children every year become obese and it keeps growing. Even though some people believe the lifestyle of a person is not to blame for the childhood obesity problem in America, the technology, the parenting style , and the media of the outside world are huge factors that contribute to childhood obesity.

"As they get older, kids and teens who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease." (Teens Health) Children were not seen experiencing these two illnesses before, they were mostly only seen in adults. This shows how obesity is causing health problems in children at an early age than before. Some other health complications that may occur as a result of obesity are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, blount disease, and many more. Obesity can also harm the mental health of a teen. An obese teen can suffer depression due to their unhealthy state of being and possible low self

Obese children and adolescents are at risk for health problems during their youth and as adults…and are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes) than are other children and adolescents. (CDC)

In addition, Childhood Obesity has long-term effects, here are some. When a child is obese and has health problems at a young age there’s many possibilities he or she will grow up and be obese. When this happens they could suffer heart diseases, strokes, several types of cancer ( breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix and prostate) , and osteoarthritis. In a few words Childhood Obesity will lead to many other diseases within

Childhood obesity has now reached an epidemic in several parts of the United States. As a result, children now have a higher risk to have numerous chronic and acute medical problems. Several of the long-lasting medical problems a child might face as a result of obesity could eventually result in death. In addition to chronic medical problems, childhood obesity has severe psychosocial effects on an individual such as low self-esteem and depression. Childhood obesity is a serious problem that is caused by a numerous amount of factors that can eventually lead to severe health complications.

“Children and adolescents who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults, putting them more at risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, types of cancers, osteoarthritis, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, increases risk for many types of cancer including breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate” (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). A person can increase the risk of getting several diseases if having bad eating habits, exercise